After All These Years
by Miqila
Summary: It's New Year's Eve again, and Sabo has finally decided to confess his love to Robin. However, not everything goes as he has planned...


**A.N: Hello~! After all these years, I'm finally back with a new SaRo one shot! Did you guys miss me? …Probably not, but did you miss these one shots?**

 **Just so some things here won't get too confusing: this is a sequel to my earlier SaRo New Year's one shots, so reading them will help you to understand this one.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own anything in the story** **.**

 **After All These Years**

Sabo sat staring at Ace's grave once more. He couldn't believe it has already been six years since he passed away.

" _I wish he could've lived to see the world as it is today, as we made it"_ the blond thought, clutching at the green cloak in his arms. It was half a year ago that the cloak got covered in blood on a battlefield, half a year ago when the teary-eyed head doctor of the Revolution Army had taken it off of the body of its owner, handing it over to Sabo and telling him to finish what the man they both respected more than anyone had started.

Throwing the cloak over his shoulders, Sabo had accepted.

He had become the new leader of the Revolution Army, yet he knew he was just a figure head at that point. Their victory had already been very close back then; it hadn't been a matter of _if_ , it had been a matter of _when_. And when in the near future, to be exact. Turns out it had taken half a year after the battle where Kizaru had struck the final blow to the man that was once the most feared.

" _I wish he could've seen this, too"_ Sabo thought. The big shots in the marines were all either dead or imprisoned, same with the world nobles. Ordinary nobles and royalty were under tight watch and stripped off their status the moment they were caught misusing it, minus the few who had fled and slipped under the radar. They'd be caught soon though; nobles weren't used to laying low.

Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him, but didn't bother to turn around. He had agreed to meet with someone; the chances that it wasn't her were low.

"I see you're doing well" the person commented, confirming Sabo's suspicions. Turning around, he said: "Hello, Robin."

"Hello, Sabo" the pirate said back "You had something you wanted to talk about?"

Yeah, that he did. Something he had been trying to tell her for years, but always either ended up backing away or interrupted… but not this time. Today and right now, after all these years, he would finally tell her how he felt.

"Yeah, I do" he said, standing up "Thanks for coming."

"It was no problem really; the captain wants to visit the grave anyway" she said back. Right, sooner or later, probably sooner, Luffy would come. He wanted to do this when it was just the two of them present, so there wasn't much time. He had to get straight to the point.

So why the heck did it feel like the cat stole his tongue!?

Seriously, that happened _every freaking time_ that he tried this! Why couldn't he ever open his mouth when it counted? Well, he supposed, maybe it was better to look like a fool than to open his mouth and blurt out something stupid that proved he was one.

And yet, when he saw that familiar, amused smile on her face he couldn't stop the urge to say something, _anything_.

"S-so how are the cook and his wife? I've heard she'll give birth soon" he stammered, thinking: _"Not that, damn it!"_

Well, he could've said something worse, too.

Robin raised an eyebrow, her amusement as clear as day, but answered anyway: "Sanji and Pudding are doing fine. And yes, she will be giving birth soon. Apparently, they both hope it's a girl."

"Is that so? Good for them" Sabo said, hoping that Robin wouldn't notice his awkwardness.

"Indeed" Robin agreed "But I suppose that is not what you wanted to talk about, now is it?"

"Well, no" Sabo said. He had to get it out _now_ "There's something I want to tell you, something I should've told you a long time ago."

Seeming amused, Robin said: "I'm listening."

Sabo took a deep breath. It was now or never, and the later one wasn't an option.

"Well, you see, for a while now, quite a long while actually, I have been, uuh…" he started, but the words died out in his mouth. He couldn't believe that he, the man who had fought in wars and taken down governments, couldn't make one love confession!

Robin was amused as she watched the man squirm and stutter, but by now she thought he had suffered enough. Time to go to his rescue before he embarrasses himself even further.

"The thing is… I kind of, I mean I do have… that is- "

Ending his suffering, Robin crashed her lips against his, silencing the blond. She could feel the man go still, hopefully only from the shock that the surprise gave. Hoping for the best, she pulled away and patiently waited for the reaction of her long-time love and crush.

Sabo was speechless, his mouth hanging open like a fish's' as he stared at Robin. What the heck? This… was not how he had planned for this to go. Why'd she do that in the first place? His first thought was that she felt the same as he did, but that…

"Sabo?" Robin questioned, snapping him out of his thoughts "Is everything alright?"

"No" he manages out "No, that was definitely not right!"

Robin blinks before frowning. Had she really misunderstood Sabo's behavior all this time, come to the wrong conclusions? That seemed impossible; it wasn't like her… or had she let her own feelings blind her from the truth?

"I'm sorry if I have misunderstood- "this time Sabo cuts her off with a kiss of his own, pulling back far faster than Robin had. The woman blinks, even more confused now.

"That's just not how it's supposed to go" Sabo clarifies " _I_ was supposed to confess to _you_! You can't just interrupt me before I get to do that!"

Oh, so that's what it was. She hadn't misunderstood him after all. This was so like him, but…

"If I had waited for you to finish we would've been stuck here 'till next year" she stated like it was a fact. Sabo blushed hard, but didn't deny it since he knew Robin was most likely right.

As he doesn't answer, she smiles that all knowing smile of hers again. As always, it annoys Sabo to no end and yet, he can't keep himself from loving it. Smiling and leaning in, their lips meet once more. After all these years they're finally together and nothing will break them apart.

Nothing.

 **A.N: After all these years, they** _ **finally**_ **kiss! Happy New Year!**


End file.
